


Last Of the Real Ones

by xikra1648



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Comedy, Drama, Eventual Romance, F/M, Friendship, Language, Post-Canon, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-23
Updated: 2019-06-09
Packaged: 2019-10-14 19:17:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17514386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xikra1648/pseuds/xikra1648
Summary: A miraculous survival only meant one of two things: either the Astrals showed Noctis mercy, or there was some other impending doom he had to stop.  Seeing as that first option was doubtful - at best - and he had yet another dream showing him...something of the future, he was willing to bet his life it was the second one.  With the knowledge the world was safe, and the feeling he had done his duty as king, he left to find the one thing that could at least begin to lead him answers.  The one thing he clearly recognized in his dreamYou.'Cause you're the last of a dying breed.Write our names in the wet concrete.I wonder if your therapist knows everything about me.I'm here in search of your glory.there's been a million before me.That ultra-kind of love,You never walk away from.You're just the last of the real ones.





	1. Going With The Flow (And Letting The Dog Call The Shots)

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so this is an idea I’ve had for a while but never did anything with because it’s a long-term project and I didn’t want to do any other long-term projects until SoF was finished. So…now that it’s done, here’s this…yeah…
> 
> Anywho, I had a bunch of other ideas that I couldn’t figure out what to do with, and they all sort of…collected into this. I’m not gonna lie, I’m much better at writing more dramatic/emotional stories than action-adventure cause then I gotta come up with an external baddie instead of just keeping things internal – which is SO much easier – but I’m giving it a shot anyway cause I’ve already got most of it worked out. Not so many details, but the big parts.
> 
> I’m basically just really good at inventing reasons for the canon course of the game to end in Noctis living instead of having to skip past Prompto’s own story for a happy ending with no real guarantee that Ardyn and the Starscourge are permanently gone.
> 
> I want the feel to be a sort of mixture between Last Of The Real Ones by Fall Out Boy and Let’s Hurt Tonight by OneRepublic. The actual plot connects better with the first song, though, hence the title. I suggest giving both songs a listen, mostly because they’re really good.
> 
> I know I teased so many other potential longer stories in 'Road Trippin With The Boys,' and I fully admit that I will keep doing that, but this struck my muse in a pretty intense way and I feel bad about not finding a way to slip Umbra into Strings of Fate until it was far too late because Umbra is the goodest boy.

# Last Of The Real Ones

### Going With The Flow (And Letting The Dog Call The Shots)

 

For as much as Noctis teased Prompto for the blonde’s _painfully_ obvious crush on Cindy, it was pretty obvious that the prince wasn’t much better.  The guys just decided not to say anything, especially considering the _original_ reason for the road trip.  No, the prince didn’t have a crush on Cindy, but the young woman that would help out at the garage when she wasn’t on a Hunt – _you._   There was an air of… _freedom_ around you that Noctis admired – or maybe even envied – at his first glance.  Then he got to know you and that first-sight crush turned into budding feelings for _who_ you are.  If you only saw each other when the guys stopped at Hammerhead or Cape Caem, that would be one thing, but you’d bump into the guys when you were out on a hunt or doing a supply run for some of the rarer parts Cindy needed.  You’d even travelled with the guys for a while, first when they were giving you and Iris a ride to Cape Caem – after the attack on Lestallum Gladio felt safer knowing you were with Iris when he couldn’t be – and sticking around to help out when Gladio took a leave of absence for _personal_ reasons.

You weren’t entirely sure _how_ you were found, or where for that matter.  Beyond your name and your age of fifteen, all you clearly remembered of your past when you were found three short years earlier, all you clearly remembered of the event was waking up in a bed in Hammerhead, and your only hint was a small red gem, roughly chiseled and attached to a thin black rope.  Honestly, you didn’t even remember the Glaives who had found you and left you in Cid’s care in Hammerhead.  You’d long since given up on figuring it out, or learning the details of whatever feats of engineering Cid and Cindy were capable of, and looked at Hammerhead as home.  You knew who you were, and that wasn’t about to change just because you didn’t know where you came from.  Though, either you were entirely obtuse or just pretended not to notice the prince’s growing infatuation with you, and looking back all these years later it was pretty _obviously_ the second.

You’d seen Umbra around before, but you thought he’d stick around someone from Noctis’ retinue instead of settling for following you around.  You weren’t complaining, your continued hunts and savaging through Solheim ruins for useful items was lonely without the pup, but you were honestly a bit surprised.  That _second_ part was mostly at Umbra’s own insistence, he’d taken off from the Haven near Costlemark Tower south of the crater left behind by the meteor and you barely had time to grab your double-bladed staff and satchel of curatives before taking off after the barking dog.  He would pause to assist you in fighting the daemons blocking your way before dashing off towards what looked to be a wall in the depths.  You tried getting him to follow you out, but heaved a heavy sigh and resigned yourself to a life-threatening event due to the pup’s curiosity as you stepped closer to the wall he was just _sitting_ by.

You froze as you felt the tower begin to shake, the blue lights lining the walls turned red as the wall in front of you just _shattered_ like glass and vanished into light, opening an entirely different path you doubted the boys found when they traversed through Costlemark Tower.  You pulled your flashlight out of your bag, lighting it as you walked through the ruins that looked like they’d been untouched – even by daemons – since the fall of Solheim.

It wasn’t until the third time you traversed into the depths of Solheim ruins that the batteries in your flashlight died and you noticed the red glow of the stone hanging from your neck, the light expanding to engulf you and Umbra as you continued to traverse through the untouched sections of the ruins.  If it weren’t for the Starscourge, you would have spent more time wandering the ruins across Lucis.  There had to be answers in one of them.  You were just so… _baffled_ at the fact you had some strange stone that opened sections of Solheim ruins nobody else could get to, and every time you tried to ask Cid for answers he didn’t seem to have any.

Once again, it was Umbra who kept pawing at your map – specifically Gauldin Quay – until you finally decided to appease him and drive your old pickup back to the abandoned beach.  He was patient enough to rest at the nearby Haven for a few hours before leading you off through a set of ruins you didn’t even know _existed._   It looked like _nobody_ had even found the _entrance_ , and the front door only opened as a response to your gem.  The pup stuck by your side, seemingly just as lost as you while you tried to find your way through the ruins, until you reached a cliffside opening that gave you the clearest and closest view of Angelguard Island you’ve _ever_ had.  You stepped closer, planning on taking a seat in – what seemed to be – relative safety as the ruins defenses against daemons seemed to still be functioning.

The blue lights around you glowed red, like all the others, as red shards of light pieced themselves together to form a bridge leading to the island.  That struck you as odd, considering Angelguard had a particularly special role for the _hexatheon_ and played no part in the stories about Solheim…at least, as far as anyone knew.  All the stories about Solheim were wildly different and even actively conflicted each other much of the time.  There was no telling what was true and what wasn’t.  So you just, continued along the bridge and made your way through the island, dashing after Umbra as he barked happily and took off at high speeds through the island.  You barely even registered the Glaives on the island as they stood aside and let you follow the dog through the depths of the island until you nearly tripped at the pup’s sudden halt in front of the _massive_ crystal before the two of you.

“Alright Umbra…” you muttered just loud enough for your furry companion to hear, having become close to the dog over the last decade, “What have you gotten me into now?”

You were left wondering that very same thing for a few days, the Glaives never seeming to enter the exact room – if you could call it that – you were in as if they weren’t allowed or they were showing proper _respect_.  You weren’t quite sure what to make of it, all they’d really told you was it was _that_ exact crystal that gave the Caelum line their power.  You’d stepped out to speak with the few remaining Glaives when you heard Umbra barking excitedly once again, causing you to dash back into the chamber as wisps of blue magic started dancing around the crystal erratically.  You cautiously stepped closer, dashing forward when you saw a hand reaching out from the crystal itself.  You barely dove to your knees in time to catch the man who fell out of it before he made a hard impact with the stone ground.

_You recognized those clothes…_

“Noctis?”  Just…what in the ever-loving _hell_ was going on?  If Umbra knew this was going to happen, why didn’t he try to get one of Noctis’ friends to join the two of you?  It was all just…

You wished you had time to bother with looking for answers, that wasn’t going to be an option as you helped the exhausted royal back to his feet and back to the Haven where you’d set up camp.  The Glaives had stuck by the two of you long enough to ensure you were safe before just… _taking off._

“Thanks for the help, appreciate all those answers you gave me.  Don’t worry, we’ll take it from here, not like there’s an army of Iron Giants and Firebombs between us and Hammerhead, and I _definitely_ know where Gladio, Prompto, and Ignis are,” you called after the departing Glaives, sarcasm thick as you wore an equally sarcastic smile until you were sure the Glaives were long out of earshot and your shoulders slumped as you tried to rub the exhaustion from your eyes before you looked down at Umbra as he pawed at your leg.

“You better figure out how to talk _fast_ because everyone’s gonna have a _lot_ of questions and my only answer is _‘I don’t know, the dog’s the one in charge.’_ ”


	2. Is It Ever Really Over?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waking up was something Noctis hadn't expected, let alone waking up after yet another odd dream. Stranger yet, this dream didn't have a flow to it like all the others. It was flashes of images seemingly thrown together, like when you try to gesture as you communicate with someone who doesn't speak the same language. this wasn't something he could just ignore and see what happened, not when some of the images involved existing cities crumbling for seemingly no reason.
> 
> His part in the public eye, as the chosen king, was over. His part as a man with unspeakable power in the palm of his hand was, seemingly, just beginning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve kinda liked the idea of Noctis just kind of taking off if he still survives the endgame while following through with the canon ending instead of the alternate ending in Episode Ignis. Not because he’s irresponsible, but because it’s time for the world to live out of the shadow of chosen kings, the Oracle, or the Astrals. Because that new sunrise is a new beginning for all of Eos, and a magical king on the throne doesn’t need to be part of it. Like, he’ll be back if they need him, but he’s done his part. It’s time for everyone else to do theirs.
> 
> It’s also kind of bothered me that they’re really vague about Solheim and it differs between the English, Japanese, and even German versions. The general idea of it all is the civilization existed before the Astrals, and they obviously had magic of their own. Then the Astrals showed up, the Starscourge showed up pretty immediately after them, Solheim was managing to hold back the Starscourge then Ifrit got infected and fucked Solheim, then the people of Solheim succeeded in chasing him out with no known help of the other Astrals, then the other Astrals were all like ‘yeah, sorry about our dick bro, btw we’re in charge now,’ and then nobody had magic. Like??? What??? Um??? No???
> 
> Also, shorter chapter than most of them will be. I considered putting this one and the last one together in one chapter, but I couldn't figure out how to get it to flow so I put it up as two different chapters and the real adventure will start in chapter three.

# Last Of The Real Ones

### Is It Ever Really Over?

 

Strange dreams weren’t new to Noctis, he’d been having them since he was _eight_ , but he certainly wasn’t expecting to have one after he sat on the throne for the first – and last – time as king.  It was all so… _jumbled_ as well, more than any of the others.  There were glimpses of Solheim ruins some he’d been to and some he’d never seen before, crumbling cities he didn’t recognize, the inner workings of Solheim ruins glowing red before breaking through established cities and towns like Lestallum and Altissia, and at the center of it all was _you._ You as you were ten years ago, smiling and laughing in the sunshine, standing on an ornate balcony overlooking a city unlike _anything_ found on Eos, and in the blink of an eye you were lying unconscious in those very same ruins as someone gingerly picked you up and rushed you to safety.

It shook him, to be honest, and he was more shaken by that dream than by waking up in a bed in what looked like a house on the outer reaches of Insomnia.  He was alive.  As irritated as he’d been to have to _die_ because the Astrals couldn’t clean up after their brother and screwing over a man who – as much as he’d personally angered and wronged Noctis – the King was _fully_ aware had been the first to fight the Starscourge the last time it began to blot out the sun, he would do it.  It was his duty as king to serve his people, and if that meant dying to give them the light of day, then he’d do it.  If he was still alive, there was a _reason_ for it.

He hated how much control the Astrals had over his life…but…this didn’t feel like something the Astrals did.  The messages they sent were clearer, far more straightforward in comparison…more like they knew how to communicate with mortal men.  This felt like something completely different struggling to communicate with a lesser being…it was… _strange_.

Still…if that image of Lestallum, Altissia, and even _Insomnia_ falling further was really possible…

Umbra picked his head up from his spot curled up at the foot of the bed, the pup seemingly more aware than even _Luna_ had known.  Or, maybe she _had_ known but kept it to herself.  It was hard to say, but as Noctis slowly sat up as he felt the aches and pains of an _almost_ death ping at him as he moved, it was clear Umbra had plans beyond staying put.

Following the strange dog hadn’t steered Noctis wrong before, he might as well keep going…though…there was something he had to take care of before the others got wind he was awake…

 

_I know, I’m an ass.  I took off without a word last time, and now I’ve gone and done it again._

_The thing is, I was supposed to die.  I’m happy I didn’t, but after 30 years I get how these things go.  Something kept me from dying, because not wanting to die wasn’t going to be enough to keep me from defying a centuries old prophecy.  I have an idea where to go.  Where to start figuring it out._

_Something came to me in a dream, like last time, but I’ve got this gut feeling it wasn’t a vision from the Astrals.  It was too messy for that.  They’ve figured out how to talk to people.  Whatever sent me this dream doesn’t know where to start._

_I don’t know how else to explain it, but my part as king is done and if I don’t follow this dream the whole world might collapse.  I leave Lucis in your hands, knowing full-well you’ll take good care of the country and its people.  They don’t need some chosen king anymore.  They need a future outside of prophecy and the Astrals.  Give them that._

_I’ll be in touch if I need anything._

_Take care, and sorry for dumping the whole country into your hands,_

_Noct_


	3. Everyone's Freedom Comes With A Price

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noctis was already making headway with his suspicions, even if it meant keeping quiet about why he was really sticking around for your journey of self-discovery. Meanwhile, back in Insomnia, Ignis, Prompto, and Gladiolus were desperately trying to make sense of Noctis' note and make a plan when they made a rather uncomfortable discovery.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, so I feel the need to give a bit of a heads up for those who read Strings of Fate. This is going to be a lot messier than Strings of Fate. Obviously there’s still going to be sass, friends, and family, but it’s going to be more in the weeds when it comes to Lucis’ recovery as a whole while the country’s recovery sort of took a backseat to everything in SoF. There’s also gonna be a LOT more action, mentions of wounds and patching each other up. Then there’s going to be the political issues that take place back in Insomnia because the guys have to explain that Noctis is gone without saying he’s dead because ‘what if he comes back?’ 
> 
> I’m actually planning on this one being a project, unlike SoF which kind of snuck up on me. Anywho, just felt like giving that heads-up, mostly because I would have liked a heads-up for the heart-wrenching story FFXV actually is instead of the fun bachelor road trip that was advertised.
> 
> I’m also making it a point to stress the fact that Iggy, Gladio, and Prom were split up for most of the Starscourge, so they’re kind of out of touch with each other. I just feel like that’s something important that’s often skimmed over – even the game skimmed over it – and just kind of want to address that here. It’s kind of a way to stress how important Noct is to the whole dynamic of the group. Like, he’s not the whole reason they all met in the first place, but he was the glue that kept them all together. Without him, they all just drifted apart. And then there’s the aspect of them bonding without Noctis around that I kinda want to explore too…so…that’s gonna be a thing.
> 
> The truck in question is also based on Chloe’s from Life Is Strange…not really important, but I felt like making that known for the shits and giggles.

# Last Of The Real Ones

### Everyone's Freedom Comes With A Price

 

You’d finished unpacking the supplies backed into the back of your pickup, running more supplies into the city as reconstruction efforts began.  Nobody had heard anything about the king himself, his inner circle taking charge instead while keeping their lips firmly sealed regarding the king, but considering the prophecy everyone was willing to be the _Chosen King_ really had sacrificed himself to bring back the sun.  Considering what happened last time Noctis left Umbra alone, you weren’t surprised when you heard him barking and dashing towards you, sitting in front of you with his tail wagging happily as you crouched down to give him some love before letting him into the cabin of your truck.  It was the man _with_ him that caught you by surprise.  Jeans, a t-shirt covered by a black hooded sweatshirt, black boots, and a duffle bag thrown over his shoulder as he kept his head down.  You kept your hand on the double-bladed staff strapped to your back, until the man got closer and you spotted a neatly trimmed beard you immediately recognized.

“I see rumors of your demise have been greatly exaggerated,” you teased, certain nobody else was around after they hefted the supplies into their own trucks and took off for the center of the city while the other transports from the outside had left as soon as they finished their drop off.  You leaned against the hood of your truck, crossing your arms left bare in your gray tank-top after you’d wrapped your blue, red, and violet plaid flannel around the waist of your worn jeans.  You hadn’t even noticed the chill over the last decade until the sun came back, and just tying back your long hair wasn’t enough to hold off the newfound heat.

“Yeah, kind of hoping it’ll stay that way,” Noctis admitted, pleased he’d been able to warp and sneak his way through the city so far, “Can you give me a ride out of the city?  The dog’s calling the shots.”

You couldn’t help the laugh as you got back up and nodded towards the passenger’s side with a smile and replied, “Sure, get in.  I’m heading to Lestallum, but I’m stopping at the Haven in Aster Slough along the way, so you’ve got plenty of time to fill me in on your whole _runaway King_ plan.  You let your buddies know, right?”

“Yeah, I mean…” Noctis paused as the two of you climbed into the pickup, Umbra quite happy in his seat between the two of you, and Noctis pulled his hood down before discarding the whole sweatshirt both to avoid contact and escape the heat of what _had_ to be a late spring day.  He just needed it to sneak out of the city, once past Insomnia's, now unnecessary, walls the people that would recognize him were few and far between.  “I left a note, it’ll be fine.”

You were giving him a _very_ judgmental side-eye as you shut your own door, “Please tell me this note is longer than _‘See ya suckers.’_ ”

“Wha…I…I said I was _sorry_.”  Noctis was half offended you even asked, half aware of the fact he probably should have stuck around to actually explain instead of leaving a damn _note._   Suddenly he was grateful his phone took that bullet ten years ago, because otherwise they’d be calling and texting him endlessly.  You hadn’t stopped giving him that side-eye, though, and Noctis was just looking ahead as you started up your truck.  You weren't about to let him off the hook for this anytime soon, and he couldn't exactly blame you.  It was a dick move, but...he could feel it in his gut.  This was something he had to do alone, for now, and if that changed he knew exactly who to reach out to.

“This is all just a desperate attempt to keep everyone from finding out our great hero king is really just a human disaster, isn’t it?”  You remained skeptical, shifting your truck into gear before turning around to leave the city.  You ignored the offended look Noctis was giving you in response, his stuttered response all the proof you needed.

“I’m not…this isn’t…” he stopped to shoot a look at Umbra, who seemed to take over giving the former royal side-eye as you kept your eyes on the road, “You shut up.”

“You do realize you’re talking to a dog like he’s a person, right?” you retorted as you managed to keep your snickers under control after the initial snort, though your gleeful smirk was a completely different story.

“Right, because you’ve never done that.”  Noctis had a point.  You had, on multiple occasions just between Noctis waking up in your camp and you dropping him off at Hammerhead, spoken to Umbra like he was a human.

“So not the same thing,” you adamantly defended yourself as you traversed down the countryside road through western Lucis to the remains of the northern Imperial blockade that had once cut off the only route from Insomnia to Lestallum.  The warm air that flowed through the open windows of the cabin was refreshing as the sun began to wane towards the end of one of _many_ days still to come.  The conscious knowledge of a new day coming was just enough to make you relax as you drove through the dimming road, and the daemons that had once roamed freely hadn’t been seen even when night fell.  It really was a reawakening of a peaceful world that hadn’t been since the Astrals first arrived on Eos.  There was no telling what could happen, all those who might have known had been dead for millennia.

“Umbra was my only constant companion for ten years,” you continued to defend yourself for talking to Umbra like he was a human, “You do what you can to keep from going crazy at the end of the world when the clock says it's 10 am and the sun isn't up for the fifth fucking year in a row.”

“Including letting a dog tell you what to do?”

“Okay, he didn’t _tell_ me as much as he barked and ran off, and I chased after him because I was worried…” you trailed off a bit as you seemed to be struggling with what to say next, if you should say anything, while the two of you passed through what remained of the Imperial blockade.  You settled for speaking about it as you drove with one hand, clutching at the stone of your necklace, “Then things got weird…”

“Right, cause having Astrals talk to me in my _head_ was _completely_ normal,” Noctis countered as he draped his arm along the open window, taking a good look at the recovering world he almost died for.  Now that he was out of the city, this little escape felt… _right._   Any caution or hesitance caused by a lifetime of prepping to be king was gone.  He was still continuing _one_ part of his royal duties, if those things he saw really did happen…countless people could die, and he needed to prevent that.

“Yeah, but you had solid answers.  All I’ve got is a key to every Solheim ruin and a bunch of questions.” 

 _That_ caught Noctis’ attention, and confirmed he was on the right track.  Now, he just had to coax you into actually _talking_ about it.

“Solheim?  Like those dusty old ruins filled with deamons?  The hell were you doing there?” Noctis phrased his question skeptically, careful not to give you any idea that he suspected something.  This was a potential minefield, especially considering it didn’t _directly_ involve him.  The last world-ending event he’d dealt with had been a complete disaster, and there was a prophecy and people who _knew_ what to expect.  The Astrals were a known entity.  Solheim was a complete mystery to this day, and having been a former _chosen one_ himself…Noctis would have liked a chance to _ease into_ the idea first.

“I was camping near Costlemark when Umbra just took off for a mad dash and there was this…hidden door that opened when I got close enough,” you started, not quite sure how to explain it all when you weren’t really sure what was going on, “I didn’t really have time to figure out what was going on, I just grabbed things that would look useful and got the hell out.  I was planning on really looking into it now that things are on track.”

“Want some company?” Noctis offered casually, causing to shoot him a look as you pulled over into a nearby parking spot along the road so the two of you could trek the rest of the way to the Aster Slough Haven.

“Seriously?  You wanna tag along on the 28-year-old orphan’s desperate search for answers after a dog led her into ancient ruins even _experts_ can’t make sense of?” you turned in your seat to eye Noctis as Umbra happily got up and climbed over your lap to jump out the open door and patiently wait as you spoke with the would-be king, “You just saved the world and _this_ is what you decide to do?”

“Does it look like I have any other plans?  Besides, the dog led me to you, and he’s the one calling the shots.”

You nodded and shrugged it off as you got out of the car, shutting the door behind you as Noctis followed your lead, helping you carry your camping gear out of the bed of your truck.  There wasn’t nearly as much of it compared to the gear shoved into the trunk of the Regalia, but…there was something freeing about that…

Ominous dreams aside, Noctis couldn’t help but feel a freedom he’d never had before.  Even though he was acting on that odd dream he’d had in the hours between his foretold death and his unexpected reawakening, it was _his choice_.  He could have ignored the whole thing and stayed, or left with no intention of doing anything about it.

There were no prophecies, no Astrals, not even his bloodline was hanging over his head.

It felt odd, after an entire lifetime desperately seeking a freedom he thought he’d never have, but it was _good._

 

“At least he admits he’s being an ass.”  Frankly, that was the only part Gladio was making _any_ sense of.  He was easily the most _irritated_ at this turn of events, as was his right as the King’s Shield.  It was his duty to stay with Noctis and protect him, and now Noctis had just taken off because – according to a _disturbingly_ short note written on a fucking _paper towel_ he’d found in the kitchen while everyone else was out – had come to the royal in a _dream._   Literally every memorable dream Noctis had was a foretelling of doom and despair.  Sure, Noctis knew where to start, but he hadn’t told _them_ that.

“But he said he’d call if he needs help,” Prompto tried looking on the bright side, “And maybe it’s not that big a deal, he doesn’t seem to think the Astrals are involved.  That’s good news, right?”

“It would seem that way, but the Astrals were also the ones that deemed it necessary that Noctis die to clear the world of the daemon plague.  The thing that sent him this dream must also be powerful enough to alter the Astral’s designs.  They are _hardly_ infallible, we have seen that personally, but they are _powerful_.  The implications are…troubling,” Ignis reasoned, keeping calm as he took a more calculated approach, seated on the couch with his hands resting on his cane while Gladio paced the living of the two-story home they’d taken shelter in while reconstruction on the city was still in the beginning stages.

“So we call him, figure out where the hell he went, and go after him.”  It was Gladio’s first instinct, as befitting his role, but it wasn’t about to work.

“We can’t, remember?  Noct’s phone didn’t exactly survive that bullet it took ten years ago,” Prompto pointed out, uncrossing his arms to place his hands on his hips as he let out a tired huff and tried to find a bright side to keep everyone from panicking.  It was difficult, to be honest, and he wasn’t exactly sure what to expect now that Noctis had – once again – taken off and left the three of them behind.  The last time that happened, they only stayed together for a brief period of time before parting ways for _ten years_ and barely communicating.  The only person that managed to get them all in one place was Noctis.

Prompto didn’t know if he could handle splitting up like that again.

“For now, we continue as if Noctis didn’t survive.  He’s counting on us – _all_ of us – to keep things running in his stead,” Ignis planned, far more willing to take this duty with the knowledge his childhood friend was alive and well, even if he didn’t know _where._   Noctis wouldn’t be out of touch forever, a 10-year encapsulation inside the crystal on Angelguard didn’t stop him from reuniting with his closest friends, this wasn’t about to stop him either.

“What if he comes back?  People want to know what happened, they wanna have a memorial ceremony for him, we have to find a way to deal with that.”  Prompto had a point, there was a more _immediate_ issue to deal with as a result of Noctis’ disappearance.  Noctis might just go unrecognized by those who hadn’t seen him after he returned to Lucis, but if he returned after they told the public he had died…it was a delicate situation.  They couldn’t _lie_ , but Noctis seemed to be relying on a certain amount of secrecy with _whatever_ he was doing.

“We’ll have to tell anybody who’ll recognize him, give them a heads-up in case they run into him,” Gladio ran tired hands through his hair as he resigned himself to this new – and _wildly_ unexpected – fate, “I’ll get hold of Iris, Iggy you reach Cor, Prom you can call Cindy.  They should be able to reach everyone else.”

“Uhh…actually, would it be cool if I called Iris and you called Cindy?  Long story…”  Prompto was shifting a bit nervously as he asked the question, clearly uncomfortable with the idea of speaking with Cindy at all.  Gladio and Ignis didn’t ask – yet – as they both decided there were bigger issues to handle at the moment.

“Yeah…sure…tell her I said hi,” Gladio agreed, still in a bit of a shock Prompto even requested such a thing.  Last they knew, Prompto would be _dying_ to talk to Cindy, so his avoidance had taken them both by surprise.  It also highlighted another issue the three of them hadn’t exactly considered.

It had been about seven years since the three of them really talked.  There was the occasional five-minute call to share information, ask for an update on the situation in Lestallum or Hammerhead, even give a warning about particularly nasty daemons in certain areas.  Beyond that…they hadn’t spoken at _all_.  Ten years ago they were left with the impression they were all so close, but all it took was Noctis’ absence and a few years to turn them into strangers, even after everything they’d been through.  If this was going to work, if they were going to pull _any_ of this off, that was going to have to change.

One step at a time.  First, they had to put out the first fire and then they could focus on all the others.


	4. AUTHOR'S NOTE

# AUTHOR'S NOTE

 

Alright, so, here's the dealio.

 

I still want to do something with this general basis, but after working things out, doing more research, and of course what we've learned from the Ardyn DLC (which I'm still mad is the last one when we were promised a Luna DLC and another one explaining exactly what happened to Noctis during the 10 years cause he legit went in a 21-year-old prince having no idea what he was doing or why he was doing it beyond the war with Niflheim and then came back 30-year-old King Regis 2.0 like what the actual fuck happened????????) I've sort of figured out that I don't really wanna go through with the plan that this fic was going to follow.

Doing things after the end of the game just isn't gonna work for this fic, especially since there's a few things that require Luna to be alive.  I've basically gotten myself into the same situation G.R.R. Martin got himself into with A Song of Ice And Fire.  The TV show could still finish, but because the books utilize a lot more detail and Martin already killed off a character that would be required to end the series how he wants to end it and now has to find a work around, he's sort of hit an indefinite hiatus with the books.  That's the same kind of situation I'm in, however I have the luxury of not being a professionally published writer as I'm writing a fanfic, so I can just put up an author's note like this that will hopefully explain everything.

The Solheim mysteries are by far the most fascinating part of the game to me and I've wanted to write a fic involving them since they first came up when I played the game for the first time - I'm pretty sure it was really early on too - and as much fun as Strings of Fate is, it's not the massive adventure fanfic I wanted to write since I shut down the blockade blocking me from Duscae and seeing a world that, while I'm pretty sure it isn't the largest open world ever put in a game cause I've played Assassin's Creed Origins and am still spending an arguably unhealthy amount of time exploring ruins and landmarks that are ruins now but were solid and populated places then and have been designed to be as historically accurate as possible, but there's just so much DETAIL in the Final Fantasy XV world. 

The way it's designed, half modernized realism half high fantasy meshed seamlessly together, has been pushing me to write an AU adventure.  The rocks naturally rising up and arching over ravines or just the _ground_ looking like the kind of foliage arching overhead in a rain forest, the dusty abandoned mines, the text on the road signs, the architecture places like Hammerhead and Lestallum, and I haven't even started on the locations outside of Lucis.  Then there's the characters, even the ones I don't like - coughARDYNcough - are fascinating in their own right.  You get a real sense that the government officials of Accordo and Ravus are in a rough spot with Niflheim because they want to maintain some level of freedom for their people, they've grown tired of fighting a never-ending war, and are trying to figure things out while feeling very much stuck between a rock and a hard place.  Either they make a deal with Niflheim, the bad guys, or they join forces with Lucis and further exhaust their people with a war that's been on-and-off for literal centuries.

I still want to write something _LIKE_ this fic, but I've already sort of backed myself into a corner with no way out.

This is all basically an attempt to explain that I don't necessarily WANT to end the fic here, and I'm leaving the first few chapters up in case they spark an idea for anyone else, but I'll be completely revamping it from the ground up and starting a new fic.


End file.
